Both New elections
in the Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s ruling party Vetëvendosje (VV) won around half of the votes. The central electoral commission of the youngest state in Europe announced this on Sunday evening after counting almost all ballot papers.
According to analysts, it is still uncertain whether the preliminary result will be enough for Kurti’s party to govern without a coalition partner. To do this, you would need 61 of the 120 seats in parliament.
The General election – the second one this year – had become necessary because the original one Vote in February did not result in a clear majority had. Kurti’s VV party also won at the time, but missed out on an absolute majority and was unable to find a coalition partner. Parliament has been blocked ever since.
Parliament is under time pressure
If the formation of a government fails again after this election, it would prolong the political crisis in the country. Time is of the essence: in April the MPs have to… Kosovo elected a new president. Parliament is also under time pressure to ratify agreements with the EU and the World Bank for loans worth one billion euros, which expire in the coming months.
Opposition parties had previously refused to form a coalition with Kurti. They criticize his dealings with Western allies and the ethnically divided north of Kosovo, where the Serbian minority primarily lives. Kurti takes a tough line towards the Serbs in Kosovo.
The prime minister will hardly be able to form his own government, predicted Ismet Kryeziu, an analyst at the think tank Kosova Democratic Institute, after the preliminary election results were announced. But Kurti will be able to govern very easily within a small coalition, said Kryeziu. He would only need a few votes from minority parties.
Minorities are entitled to permanent seats
According to the electoral commission, the main opposition party, the liberal Democratic Party (PDK), received 21 percent of the vote. The Civil Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) won 13.6 of the votes. In the Kosovo electoral system, the Serb minority is entitled to ten mandates in the 120-seat parliament, while the other ethnic groups – including Bosniaks, Turks and Roma – are entitled to a further ten mandates.
The Kosovo, a former Serbian provincedeclared itself independent in 2008. The country’s current status under international law is controversial. 115 of the 193 member states of the United Nations recognize the Republic of Kosovo as an independent state, including Germany. Serbia does not recognize independence and continues to see Kosovo as an autonomous province of the country.
